


Permitted Princess

by gammaray



Category: DRAMAtical Murder
Genre: Agender Character, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Sibling Incest, Twincest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-22
Updated: 2015-04-30
Packaged: 2018-01-13 08:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 38
Words: 3,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1219414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gammaray/pseuds/gammaray
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Runs off an alternative ending where Aoba is able to save everyone... including Sei.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rules

**Author's Note:**

> i'm using 50 slots this time! this will not rise above a T (PG-13) rating.

"Ah, Aoba, not again..."

Caught red-handed, Aoba stood at the foot of the stairs with his hair dripping wet. His bag was clutched to his chest, undoubtedly protecting Ren from the rain as much as possible. It was late at night and he was just now arriving from work, sporting a look equivalent to a kicked puppy.

Instead of making a fuss, Sei headed out for the laundry room, returning with a fluffy towel not too long after. Aoba took it with a sheepish smile, murmuring a soft thanks.

"Bring an umbrella next time."

"When did you become my mom?"


	2. Nostalgia

"Oh."

Sei looked over at their brother, who was staring up at the ceiling of the bedroom the twins shared. He looked confused, eyebrows furrowed and lips parted. They wanted to shake him and ask what was wrong, but it was probably best they didn't disturb his thoughts.

"..." Aoba looked back over to his twin, eyebrows dipping to form a more downward look. "Sorry. Just laying here with you feels familiar. Like we've done this before."

"We have," Sei murmured, smiling in amusement.

"I didn't mean _recently_." Aoba laughed softly, laying on his side to kiss their forehead. "The past."


	3. Wired

At first, he thought it was just post-rescue jitters.

A couple weeks into Sei living with him, Aoba realized this wasn't going away.

If anything, he had hoped things would get better, but Sei only seemed to get worse. They would flinch at the smallest noise, whimpering a little under their breath if anything caught them off-guard.

Aoba wanted to put a stop to it, so he finally approached his twin, concern etched into his features. "Sei?"

"Ah." There it was. The flinching. Sei turned, a nervous smile at their lips. "Yes, Aoba?"

"What exactly did they do to you?"


	4. Heartbeat

"Can you hear it?'

Sei laughed softly, pressing their ear closer to Aoba's bare chest. They rested a cold hand onto his abdomen, giggling at the flinch from the other. "I can hear it," they sighed, a pleasant smile gracing their pale lips. "You're so alive, Aoba."

Grinning down at his twin, Aoba leaned down to kiss Sei's forehead, nudging his nose against the other's. " _We're_ alive," he corrected, pressing a kiss to Sei's cheek, and then the other.

"Mm, you're right. _We_ are alive." Sei couldn't help but match Aoba's grin, elated with the spoken truth. "Very much alive."


	5. Wishing

"I believed in wishing upon a star for a long time," Sei confessed one night. They were sitting by Aoba's open window, letting the moonlight grace their features. To Aoba, they were practically glowing. "It was when I grew older that I started losing hope." _Because you never came._

Aoba couldn't help but maneuver his way over to his twin, wrapping them up in a warm hug. "But you're here now," he reminded Sei, pulling back enough to lock his golden eyes with their dark ones. "It's okay." _I'm okay, but are you okay?_

"I know." _I'm working on it._


	6. Unforeseen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've been too sick to focus on fics

Sei stared at their brother with furrowed brows, pale hands kneading at the material of their skeleton tights. Across the room from them sat Aoba, doing his best to hide his face in his shoulder. His face was colored a bright red, hands clenched into tight fists above his knees.

"What is this?"

"Chocolate."

Hmm. The dark-haired Seragaki reached over to grab the small heart-shaped box that sat on the middle table, taking the top off in order to stare in awe at the assorted sweets placed neatly in its wrapping.

"What day is it?"

"Valentine's Day."

"Ah... Thanks."

"Yeah."


	7. Heartache

Sometimes, Sei was able to comprehend what emotion they were feeling at the moment.

It must've been the familiar tie they held in their fragile hands, shoulders shaking gently at the plaid design that would've gotten a complain from them if they weren't otherwise hurting. They sighed heavily, looking over their shoulder to see a concerned Aoba. They smiled to dismiss him, slowly standing to sit down on the bed with him.

"My chest hurts a little," they murmured, their smile wavering to something closer to sad than assuring. "Guess some things can't be brushed off as easily as others."


	8. Numb

He let his fingers drift across his twin’s arm, the pads of his fingers slowly working their way up Sei’s upper arm. Aoba paused when Sei grimaced, thin eyebrows knitting together to show their discomfort. “Does that hurt?”

“No.”

“Then?”

Sei’s grimace remained, but they released a soft sigh and shook their head, chin-length hair brushing against jaw. They would giggle if it were any other setting, but they were serious now. “I couldn’t feel that as well,” they whispered, dark eyes downcast. Aoba frowned, rubbing his thumb along that particularly strip of skin. They both knew, yet neither spoke.


	9. Study

He stared at Sei, who was practically staring holes into the bluenet’s palm. Aoba tried to stop himself from laughing at the concentrated look on his twin’s face, as well as resisting the urge to kiss Sei’s forehead for doing something cute. They probably didn’t know they were doing it, but it was cute nonetheless.

“Your hand is cool,” Sei murmured, dark gaze slowly returning to look Aoba in the eye. He felt that familiar full-body shock, smiling widely at the dark-haired Seragaki. They held out their own hands, palm up, and Aoba kissed each one despite their half-hearted whining.


	10. Diary

**It’s my birthday today.**

**The nurse said she would let me fall asleep during the procedure today. Usually, I have to stay awake so they can collect information from my eyes, but I was allowed to close my eyes and pretend they weren’t making more cuts over my eyelids.**

**Happy birthday, Aoba.**

***

Aoba thumbed at the notebook he held in his hand, unable to meet the unwavering gaze of his twin. That was fine. They weren’t expecting Aoba to speak while going through something so dark.

Instead of speaking, Aoba wrapped his arms around them and cried. Sei let him.


	11. Daybreak

Whereas Sei was easy to wake, Aoba needed a minimum of three cups of coffee before he could even _consider_ greeting the household with his presence.

Sei was there to give Aoba his coffee and a kiss on the cheek, giving their brother a gentle smile to assure him he was awake. Nightmares were common in their house, haunted by their past and the constant anxiety that came with them.

Because they had each other, they were there to wrap their arms around each other and whisper assuring words, soothing the unforgiving fear that shook their twin’s body at dawn.


	12. Agony

Seeing Sei toss and turn in their side of the bed was one of the reasons why Aoba doesn’t sleep well at night.

Their face would scrunch up and sometimes a tear or two would slip from their shut-tight eyes, lithe frame trembling and lips parted in fearful whimpers. Aoba still doesn’t know to what extent Toue had gone to use Sei as a lab rat, but the puckered scars and thin cuts that were both darker and lighter than the rest of their skin told a million other stories that Sei couldn’t.

Aoba turned over to hold them close.


	13. Boxes

Sei didn’t like closed-in spaces.

When Aoba takes them to the doctor for regular check-ups, they shake like a leaf in the elevator and grab onto Aoba for dear life when the room they’re pulled into is too close together for their liking.

“I feel like I’m boxed in,” they whispered, bony fingers digging small crescents into Aoba’s skin with a soft pout. They look at him with a look of helplessness, and Aoba swears they use Scrap because he feels himself going up to the counter to request that the nurse moves them to another room.

He just cares.


	14. Words

_Aoba._

With a hiss, Aoba turned around to see Sei standing in the kitchen’s entrance, hands anxiously pulling at the hem of their nightshirt. He gave them an exasperated smile, toning it down so he wouldn’t hurt their feelings. “Sei,” he chided, practically feeling his heart break in two when Sei’s crestfallen look only deepens. “You scare me every time you do that.”

“I’m sorry,” they murmured, eyes downcast at the kitchen tiles. “Sometimes I forget I’m not speaking aloud, and then I just kind of…”

The blue-haired adult shook his head and led Sei back to their shared bedroom.


	15. Punctual

“Didn’t I tell you?! Be home by seven; _no later than that!!”_

Aoba tried to pry himself from his grandmother’s iron grasp on his ear, looking at Sei in a silent cry for help. He managed to weasel out of it, rubbing his reddening ear with a mumbled complaint. Tae kept scowling up at him, earning the flinch she wanted plus a bonus apology from her blue-haired grandson.

“Damn _right_ you should be sorry!” she crowed, delivering a smack upside the head. “Sei doesn’t know where they’re going, so it’s all on you!”

“Actually,” Sei mumbled. ”I know my way…”


	16. Clear skies

Watching the clouds with Sei in his arms while they laid beneath a blanket was something he thought they would never get to do.

It wasn’t because of his twin’s absence for all his life—albeit not knowing about Sei, he always felt like something was missing—but because Sei had returned home with him so fragile. In the beginning, they weren’t conscious often, barely awake when Tae slipped an IV into their arm in order to give them their needed nutrients. They were hooked up for months, slowly eased out of routine.

But that was then. Cloud-watching was now.


	17. Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah because 2am is the best time to update

"I don't know." 

Aoba stopped on his way to the bedroom door, hand slowly removed from the doorknob. He pressed his ear to the door, curious as to what his sibling was saying on the other side. The blue-haired male wasn't the type to spy on people and listen to what they were saying when they were alone, but... It happens, okay? 

"Sometimes I wish what Toue told me was all made up, Teddy. He said really mean things..." 

They were in their twenties, but it was understandable to sound so childish due to being locked up for so long.


	18. Conditional

Sei puffed out their cheeks, looking over the list of chores that Tae had produced early in the morning. 

"This isn't a very fair list." 

They looked over at Aoba, who just shrugged it off like it was nothing. Sei could complain all they wanted, but there was a reason why the list was as it was. 

**Aoba: dishes, groceries, dinner, bills**

**Sei: table**

"Grandma's getting older, Sei," he reminded them, eyebrows raised. 

"That's not my issue." Sei crossed their arms over their chest, looking over at Aoba with that sparky gaze. "I'm not a toddler. Give me chores, please?"


	19. Healer

Saturdays were healing days.

Aoba sat on their shared bed, Sei facing him and ready to start. The blue-haired teen nodded and Sei looked up, causing that familiar shock to run up Aoba’s spine and pull him into Sei’s mind. The twins relax against one another, taking advantage of this new ability they’d recently discovered. Albeit Aoba’s power being destruction, he could use it to destroy the bad energy that remained in his sibling’s body.

He pressed a kiss to Sei’s forehead, both in real life and in their mind. Sei smiled and murmured their thanks, true form already out.


	20. Stranger

Sei was both ecstatic and nervous to go out, as per usual. They didn’t go out very much, so Aoba inviting them to get groceries together was almost enough to make them faint from the sudden rush of emotion.

“I dunno,” they grumbled, holding onto Aoba’s hand while the two of them took their time in walking to the market down the block. “What if I get weird looks? I’m not a nobody now…”

Aoba shook his head, amused. “You’ll be fine, Sei. Don’t worry about this so much.”

“I’m gonna worry anyway.” Sei pouted, getting a laugh from Aoba.


	21. Shooting star

“Have you ever made a wish before?” Sei whispered one night, curled up on their side and holding onto Aoba, who matched them so he could hold them around the waist, face pressed into their shoulder.

Aoba shrugged, thinking about this for a moment. “I make wishes all the time, especially when there’s a shooting star,” he mused, pulling back to smile down at Sei. “What’s on your mind?” Twins linked by mind or not, they weren’t always in each other’s head.

“I want to see a shooting star,” they murmured, smiling weakly at their twin. “And with you too.”


	22. Final

Sei was still restless, even after all the months they spent curled up in Aoba’s bed with his arms wrapped around their tiny body. They still dreamed of horrible things, of before Platinum Jail’s collapse and how Toue treated them for over twenty years of their life.

They woke up shaking more often than not, holding to Aoba and trying to muffle their whimpers into Aoba’s shoulder. Aoba wanted to give them medication to help with the nightmares, but medicine has become Sei’s enemy, considering how much medicine Toue has put in their frail body.

Sleep was for the weak.


	23. Piggybank

After shaking the object a few times, Aoba tried to peek through the small slit that was wide enough for coins, frowning. He huffed and set the tiny bank back on the shelf, getting a small laugh from Sei.

“What’s so funny?” the blue-haired twin grumbled, looking over at his sibling. “I was hoping I could find something from when I was a kid. I guess I emptied it all out.”

“Or maybe it got stolen,” Sei teased. “You can never be too careful with storage companies.”

Aoba managed a dry laugh. “Who would do that?”

Sei shrugged. “Storage companies.”


	24. Chocolate

Sei grabbed for another piece of candy, placing it on their tongue and letting it melt before properly taking it into their mouth, smiling at the sweet taste. Milk chocolate was their favorite, and Aoba had been nice enough to get some chocolate for them at the store yesterday.

“Y’know,” they murmured to Ren, petting the Allmate’s fur and getting an appreciative wag of the tail from the latter. “After all the candy they fed me, I still love sweets…”

“You can’t help some things,” Ren explained, nudging his small forehead against Sei’s thigh.

With a sigh, Sei nodded. “Yeah…”


	25. Bitter

Today was a good day, both for the weather and for Sei’s health, so Aoba planned a date for the two for the day. Sei was ecstatic, mumbling to Ren about what to wear and what to eat and what would be too expensive for Aoba’s budget. He patiently listened to Sei, assuring them that it would be just fine.

A yogurt shop caught their eye as they walked down the street with their hands linked together, insisting they try the many flavors inside.

Sei regretted their decision upon tasting the tart yogurt, making a face that had Aoba laughing.


	26. Foolish

“Aoba, what’s that?”

“A monkey.”

“Oh, Aoba, what’s that?”

“A lion.”

“And that?”

“A tiger.”

“What about that?”

“A turtle.”

Sei stopped where they were standing by the turtle pit, eyebrows furrowed. “Okay, I’m lost. These don’t look anything like my plushies. They came with tags that said they were all these animals, but they don’t look right!”

“They’re meant to look cuter,” Aoba explained, unable to hide the amusement in his tone. “Would you really want _that_ in your pile of plushies?” He gestured to the old tortoise in the corner.

The dark-haired twin grimaced, looking away. “Not really.”


	27. Preparation

A soft curse came from the kitchen, followed by the lights turning on and a figure slipping past the room as quiet as they could be. They hurried to the stairs as best as their body could manage, trying to get to their room before—

“Sei?”

With a wince, Sei looking over the railing to see Aoba coming out from the main room, rubbing at his eyes after waking from his unplanned nap. “What’s up?”

“Um.” Sei was at a loss, not sure how to explain what they were trying to do. “Birthday stuff.” Oh dammit.

“Birthday… Oh. That’s today?”


	28. Protection

All they wanted to do was see if Aoba had any pencils to draw with. That was it. They weren’t trying to be weird, or sneaky, or just creepy in general, but what the fuck.

Sei held up a small square foil, a round object fitted into the packaging. They pursed their lips, eyebrows furrowed. “What’s this?” they mumbled, pulling at the foil experimentally.

Always to the rescue, Ren hopped up into their lap and tugged the item away from Sei’s curious grasp, his only answer being “A gag gift from Koujaku. Do not tell Aoba that you found this.”


	29. Gone

“What happens when Tae dies?”

Aoba looked up from where he was updating Ren’s program, eyebrows raised and mouth agape in shock. “Where the hell did that thought process come from?”

The dark-haired twin shrugged, eyebrows furrowed at Aoba’s surprising reaction. “It’s a part of life, isn’t it? She’s old. What happens when she dies?”

“Do you mean what _we’ll_ do when she passes, or…”

Sei shook their head, lips pursed in a frown. “Where does she go?”

Aoba paused Ren’s maintenance and got up to sit next to Sei on the bed, kissing their pale cheek. “A happier place.”


	30. Underneath

Aoba adjusted the bag in his arms, grunting with the effort. He was taking care of moving things around, making room for Sei to put their stuff in the shared bedroom when their collection grew. Since they had to start over when the tower crashed, all of Sei’s hoarded stuffed animals destroyed, Sei had been gradually buying toys to fill the void.

“Sei, where are—“ He yelped when something beneath the bed brushed his ankle, crouching down to peek underneath. “Ren?”

“Nope, just me!” a softer voice chimed, Sei soon coming out from beneath their bed, giggling softly. “Hi, Aoba.”


	31. Insanity

“Sei, wait!”

Soft but frantic feet could be heard running down the hallway, nearly running into the open bathroom door. Louder footfalls followed close behind, Aoba wrapping his arms around Sei’s waist to pull them away from the window they were trying to open. “Stop it!” the blue-haired male insisted, falling onto his ass with a trembling Sei in his lap.

Aoba pressed his face into Sei’s shoulder, holding onto them tightly. “It’s me, Sei. It’s Aoba. Stop trying to run. It’s over,” he soothed, feeling his twin break down into soft sobs, weak and pale hands resting over Aoba’s.


	32. First kiss

_They lean in and he feels his heart clench with a mix of nervousness and guilt, knowing this wasn’t exactly the social norm. He takes shaky breaths and meets them halfway, hands resting on their small waist. A trembling moan is their response, just as shocked from this taboo act as their brother._

_He sighs shakily in return, pulling them closer to kiss them harder, gasping._

With a jolt, Aoba avoided cutting his thumb off with the kitchen knife in his hand, hazel eyes wide. He swore loudly, leaning against the counter. He sighed, cheeks and ears flushing dark red.


	33. Broken wings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm back!

"It's just a sprain," Sei insisted stressed out further with Aoba's fretting. They watched him with wide eyes, clutching their limp wrist. The dark-haired Seragaki curled up on themself, breathing shakily. 

Aoba shook his head, crouched next to his sibling. He picked them up from the sidewalk, murmuring assurance to a few people who had seen Sei's fall. Pressing a gentle kiss to Sei's forehead, he headed off to their house, the worry clear in his golden eyes. 

Sei settled down enough to notice how Aoba was careful not to jostle their arm, unable to stop from grinning to themself.


	34. Fireworks

"Oh!" 

Excitedly bouncing in their seat, Sei pointed to the dark sky, lit by the fireworks set off for the New Year. Their grin was contagious, Aoba cracking a wide smile. 

The two have bundled up on the balcony of their home, fingers linked together and bodies huddled close for warmth. Sei isn't slumped in a chair like the last time they celebrated New Year, standing proud next to their brother. "Look," they cooed, squeezing Aoba's arm lightly. "Aoba." 

A blue set of fireworks bursted, Sei giggling loudly at the display. Aoba kissed their cheek to hide his lovestruck grin.


	35. Hide

Panting, Sei clutched their chest, back up against the alley's wall. They glanced to their left where Aoba stood, slumped and breathing just as heavily. 

"Why did we run?" was Sei's first breathless question, dark eyes dull in the poor lighting. 

Holding up a hand to ask for a moment, Aoba took a few more breaths to calm down. "There was... There was someone in the street," he murmured, careful with his words. 

Sei blinked, now frowning. "Someone? Like someone we know? Why did we run?" 

"It was someone we don't really want to talk to rght now. Or ever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the plaid twins are coming for you, sei.


	36. Melody

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> clear uses ae/aer/aers/aerself pronouns.

Clear isn’t a new addition to the Seragaki household but Sei still beams whenever ae appears at their door. "Clear!" They embraced Clear, arms tight around aer shoulders. "I’m so happy to see you!"

“I was wandering around with Noiz-san and I decided to stop by,” ae explained, rubbing Sei’s back soothingly. "I hope I’m not disturbing you."

Laughing gently, Sei pecked Clear on the cheek, smiling up at aer. "Of course not, silly."

***

Snoring softly, Sei slumped against Clear’s shoulder, burrowed into aer side. Clear watched them silently, aer song long over.

"I am so glad you’re okay, Sei-san."


	37. Tomorrow

Long ago had the sun gone down, Aoba and Sei huddled warmly on the balcony. The two had fallen asleep many hours prior, Sei digging blunt nails into Aoba’s arm. They sighed as sleep escaped them, eyes fluttering open.

"Aoba," they whispered, jostling their twin as they stretched their arms. "Aoba… Hey, Aoba… wake up. The sun is coming."

Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, Aoba glanced over at Sei’s lethargic form. He then turned to the sun rising above the houses of the neighborhood that accented the roofs. "Oh… good morning."

Sei nuzzled closer, pecking Aoba’s cheek. "Morning."


	38. Beautiful

Aoba’s hands roamed over the expanse of Sei’s pale chest, eyes lidded from a mix of exhaustion and interest. He watched the unsteady rise and fall of his twin’s chest. Sei shuddered, watching Aoba’s gentle hands flutter over puckered scars that stand out more than others. "Sei…"

Voice husky, Sei could only moan gently in response, worrying their lower lip until it reddened. “Aoba,” they gasped in return, back arching off the bed. "Don’t look," Sei insisted, their body betraying their protests. "They’re so gross…"

"Nothing about you is gross." Aoba pulled Sei’s shirt back down, smiling gently. "You’re beautiful."


End file.
